Electrically-actuated clock.



No. 846.5154. PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907. R. W. SMEDBERG.

ELEGTRIGALLY ACTUATED CLOCK.

APPLICATION FI'ED JULY 9, 1906.

RUBEN W. SMEDBERG, OF ST.`PETER, MINNESOTA.`

ELETRlCALLY-ACTUATED CLOCK- Specification of Letters Patent.

katented March 12, 1907.

Application filed July 9, 1906. Serial No. 325,303.

To rtl/f whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, RUBEN W. SMEDBERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Peter, in the county of Nicollet and State of Minnesota, have vinvented certain new 'and useful Improvements in Electrically-Actuated Clocks; and Ido hereby, declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention', such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to electrically-actuated clock systems wherein clocks at the different stations are automatically actuated by electrical impulses sent out at predetermined intervals from the central or controlling station, such impulses being controlled by a central or regulating clock.

The invention has for its object to provide an improved clock for use at the different stations; and to'this end it consists of the shaft.

la small pinion-gear or novel devicesand combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims. f

The improve clock is illustrated in the accompanyung drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the xseveral views.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows the clockl in rear elevation with some parts broken away and with some yparts removed, and Fig. 2 shows the said clock in side elevation. 4 y

The numeral 1 indicates a suitable clockframe on which the running parts of the clock are mounted. Mounted centrally in the frame 1 is a rotary spindle 2, that carries the minute-hand 3. The hour-hand 4 is loosely mounted onA the outer end of the shaft 2 and is connected by a sleeve to a spurgear 9,that is also loosely mounted on said The gear 9 meshes with a spur-pinion 8, that is carried by a counter-shaft 7, also journaled in the frame 1. The shaft 7 carries a spur-gear 6, that meshes with a spurpinion 5, which in turn is rigidly secured to the shaft 2. and 9 and pinions 5 and 8 are such that the minute-hand 3 will be given twelve rotations for each rotation of the hour-hand 4.

vThe shaft 2 at its intermediate portion carries a large spur-gear 10, that meshes with able source of electrical energy, such mounted on the frame 1.

The dimensions of the gears 6 lantern-wheel 11, that is secured to a spindle 11, journaled in the sides'of the frame 1' The spindle 11a. also sents carries a large ratchet-wheel 13. rI`he relative size of the wheels 10 and 11 is such that twelve rotations of the latter are required to impart one rotation to the former and to the shaft 2 and minute-,hand 3. As shown and preferred, the ratchet-wheel 13 .-is provided with one hundred and fifty teeth.

The teeth of the ratchet-wheel 13 are env gaged by apair of alternatelyactingspring driving-pawls 14 and 15, that are secured to the opposite ends of a vibratory head 16, which head is secured to a rock-shaft 17, This rock-shaft 17 has a projecting arm 18, that carries an armature 19, which armature is subject to a pair of wound magnets 20, shown as supported by the frame 1. The coils of the magnet 2() are connected by wires 21 in circuit with a suitas abattery or dynamo at a central station, and suitable means (not shown) may be provided for producing pulsations in circuit or for intermittently making and breaking the circuit at the central station. Means for making and breaking lthe circuit at the central station would be actuated by the pendulum T of the central or controlling clock, and the said circuit should be closed and opened once -each two seconds of time-that is, the circuit will be closed one second and opened the next, and vice versa.` g The two sprin -pawls 14 and 15 press laterally against t e ratchet wheel 13, and hence tend to rais'e the armature 19 against the fixed stop 22 on the frame 1.l When the magnet circuit is broken, by reference to Fig'. 2 it will be seen that normally the pawl 15 stands on the intermediate portion of one of the teeth of the ratchet-wheel. With this construction when the armature 19 is drawn downward the pawl 14 will impart a step of rotary movement to the ratchet-wheel 13 approximately equal to one-half a tooth of distance and the said pawl 15 willv be drawn down into enga ement with the next lower tooth. When tlie magnet-circuit is broken and the armature 19 is moved upward, said awl 15 will impart a second half-step or alf-tooth of movement to said ratchetwheel 13 and the pawl 14 will be drawn downward into engagement with the next lower tooth. It is thus evident that a cornplete upward-and-downward movement of the armature 19 is required to im art tothe said ratchet-wheel a movement w ich repreone tooth thereof and which in time represents two seconds or -two seconds of IGO IOS

IIQ

movement of the minute-hand 3. With the ratchet-wheel 13 provided with one hundred and l'iity teeth the said ratchet-wheel Will be given one complete rotation every ive minutes, the minute-hand 3 will be given one complete rotation each sixty minutes, or one l hour, and the hour-hand will be given one complete rotation every twelve hours. Vith this arrangement, whereby the ratchet-wheel 13 is given one step of movement l'or cach second ol ti'nie,the application ot a secondshand to the clock is an eas)Y matter. As is obvious, such seconds-hand may be driven by any suitable means from the said 'ratchetwheel.

. The improved clock. above described, While extremely simple and of small cost, is thought to be highly ellicient for the purposes had in view. It is oi" course evident that any number of these clocks located at various different points may be operated by a single controlling-clock at the central station regardless of the distance between said several clocks and the control]ing-station.

YWith the construction above described it is evident that the magnet acting through the armature and the pavvls that are vibrated thereby serves to impart positive step-bystep rotary movements to the ratchet-Wheel and parts driven thereby and that each movement of said armature produces a movement of the ratchet-wheel 13 representing one-halt1 tooth, or one second ottime.

What I claim is- .c

1. In an electrically-actuated clock, the combination with the minute and hour hands and gears connecting the same for ject to said magnet, and a pair of reverselyacting spring pressed pawls connected to and receiving reversely vibratory movements ,tii'iied nioveinents, olt a ratchet-wheel for driving said gears, a magnet in an actuatingcircuit, a pivoted arm having an armature subiect to said magnet,a head connected to said arm, and a pair of reverscly-acting springfpands secured to said head and operating on said ratchet-wheel, and which spriiig-pawls press laterally against said lratchet-wheel and serve to retract said armature vfrom said magnet when the circuit is broken, substantially as described.

3. In an electrically-actuated clock, the combination with the minute and hour hands and gears connecting the same'lor properlytinied movements, of a ratchet-wheel for driving said gears provided with one hundred and i'i'fty teeth, a magnet in an actuating-eircuit, a pivoted arm having an armature subject to said magnet, a pair of reversely-acting spring-pawls carried by said arm and pressing laterally against the teeth of said ratchetwheel with a force tending to retract said armature from said magnet, and which springpawls under one movement of said armature impart a first hall-ste of movement to said ratchet-Wheel, and un( er the other movement of said armature impart a second half-step olt movement to said ratchet-wheel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RUBEYl YV. SMEDBERG. Witnesses A. LINs'rRoM, CLARE D. Mom.' 

